We’re now roughly where I was on Freya, coming back without my mast, when I started the engine. We, too, are still running the motor, doing about 5 knots and approaching Tory Island. We have been pretty much motoring actually for 36 hours and it looks like we’ll continue until this afternoon, when the wind is due to pick up. I stopped the engine for an hour or thereabouts last night but then the wind died again and I had to re start it.
We had a lovely day yesterday, a bit like last day of term although it wasn’t actually the last day at all but after having been bashed about for 8 days, a calm day motoring / motorsailing with some sun was wonderful.
We had dolphins (Atlantic White Sided) playing with us for about 40 minutes at sundown yesterday and they continued, sporadically, through the night and it’s lovely to see the local birds, Guillemots, Razorbills, (I keep hoping they’ll be puffins but so far have been disappointed) Gannets and Fulmars etc.
It’s a bit dreich this morning with only 5 knots of wind but it’s enough so that we’re motoring on just above idle and still making 5 knots. ETA currently is tomorrow afternoon.
I’ve spoken to the border force and it appears that unless they contact me to the contrary, I’ve done all I need to do by having submitted a report from the Azores and updating them as to my ETA being tomorrow and not today. Hopefully they won’t ask me to sail to Abbotsinch or anything silly.
Hoping for a. Stress free day!
Slainte Jock, Patrick, Hunter and Yemaya
Such good memories of Tory Island. All garlic speaking except the postmistress. Save return